As part of their mission to widen the safety net for the saddle seat breeds, Saddlebred Rescue, Inc. is announcing the start of a new lease program in addition to their ongoing rescue and adoption efforts.

This exciting new program has the potential to bolster the growth of several important segments of the industry as well as provide meaningful jobs for a variety of horses.

Launched with the aid of a United Professional Horsemen Association (UPHA) Grant, the new lease program will require lessees to be active (professional trainer) members of the UPHA. For an annual fee payable to Saddlebred Rescue, horses may be leased to trainers, who may then sub-lease them to their customers. Horses will remain the property of Saddlebred Rescue, and as such, may not be sold or transferred.Unlike the horses purchased from livestock sales and in danger of going to slaughter, Saddlebred Rescue anticipates its pool of lease horses will come from the industry itself. Because it is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, the value of a horse donated to SBR for the lease program is eligible as a tax deduction (to the extent of the law). Saddlebred Rescue hopes to attract owners who may wish to donate a useable show horse and benefit from a tax credit while at the same time taking comfort in knowing that the animal will have a safe and secure home.

Horses will be evaluated and selected for the program on a case-by-case basis.

“Our hopes are that this might help trainers get new customers into the show ring, paving the way for these same customers to own a more advanced show horse down the line”, Nealia McCracken of SBR noted.For more information about donating a leasable horse, or applying to lease a horse, contact us at